Recommendations for 2 week trip

[culebro]

Hi everyone!

I'm an expat guy living currently in Almaty, and I'm planning to take holidays during the first of September, as I find it the best month to travel, to travel through the other Central Asia countries. The problem is that my holidays are short, therefore I'll only count with 2 weeks. And I would like to visit all the countries, as I won't stay much longer in Almaty.

This would be the plan:

Day 1 (Friday): Flight to Ashgabat
Day 2 (Sat): Door's Hell
Day 3 (Sun): Ashgabat
Day 4 (Mon): Transfer to Bukhara
Day 5 (Tue): Bukhara
Day 6 (Wed): Bukhara
Day 7 (Thu): Samarkand
Day 8 (Fri): Samarkand
Day 9 (Sat): Khojand/Isfara (one of them)
Day 10 (Sun): Iskanderkul and transfer to Dushanbe
Day 11 (Mon): Dushanbe
Day 12 (Tue): Dushanbe
Day 13 (Wed): Transfer to Sary Tash (I'd like to go through Karamyk, I have to ask the consulate because I'm not sure it's open for foreigners)
Day 14 (Thu): Karakol (If it's possible, although I'd require 2 entry visa), back to Osh.
Day 15 (Fri): Osh
Day 16 (Sat): Transfer to Bishkek
Day 17 (Sun): Bishkek and back to Almaty

I'd like to ask if you find this realistic or too tight. Or if there are some points that could be complicated due to visa issues or similars. Any opinion/joining is welcome

[bwv812]

You've got a tight schedule and some sequences that are not realistically possible, even with pre-arranged chartered transportation. Karamyk isn't an option, and going from Samarkand to Khojand isn't going to leave you more than a few hours in Khojand. Day 10 would similarly leave you with very little time at the lake, and going from Sary Tash to Karakol to Osh will also leave you very little time at the lake.

Here is something more workable but still much more rushed than I would want:
Day 1 (Friday): Flight to Ashgabat
Day 2 (Sat): Ashgabat
Day 3 (Sun): Arrive at Derwaza before dawn, then go to Konye Urgench for monuments. Exit to Khiva,
Day 4 (Mon): Khiva, and afternoon/overnight train to Samarkand (http://www.seat61.com/Uzbekistan.htm)
Day 5 (Tue): Samarkand
Day 6 (Wed): Bukhara
Day 7 (Thu): Bukhara; overnight train to Tashkent
Day 8 (Fri): Tashkent in AM, to Khojand/Isfara in PM
Day 9 (Sat): Khojand/Isfara (one of them)
Day 10 (Sun): Iskanderkul and transfer to Dushanbe
Day 11 (Mon): Dushanbe
Day 12 (Tue): Dushanbe
Day 13 (Wed): Morning flight to Khorog (can't really count on this, though, as only flies when clear and tickets difficult to get)
Day 14 (Thu): Khorog to Murghab
Day 15 (Fri): Murghab to Osh, stopping at Karakol.
Day 16 (Sat): Fly from Osh to Bishkek (cheap flights easily booked)
Day 17 (Sun): Bishkek and back to Almaty

The Dushanbe-Khorog leg is the biggest bottleneck, as you can't count on being able to fly and the alternative is a 30-hour car ride. Lots of time will also be spent in a vehicle on days 3, 8, 10, 14, and 15.

[culebro]

Thanks a lot for the reply! I will check the plan you suggest, it also looks good. The more I can avoid the cars, the better, but in Central Asia that's not easy.

Karamyk is simply closed to foreigners? One kyrgyz guy told me it should be possible to cross with visa, but I don't know how good he really knew about this.

[bwv812]

The only time Karamyk has been open to foreigners in the recent past is when the Pamirs and Kyzyl-Art have been closed to foreigners (i.e., when there has been violence and/or unrest there). Normally it is closed to foreigners, though I think there were rumors that might change when the road from Karamyk to Dushanbe has been improved.

I don't know how you would get a visa to Kyrgyzstan, anyway, as you are probably one of the visa-free nationalities.

[culebro]

Hi again! After a lot of research and feedback of other people, I redesigned my trip, but I still have some concerns about the realism of some of the points. I resigned of Tajikistan and Turkmenistan as it would be to stressing and it's supposed to be a holiday . Here it is:

Day 1 (Friday): Night in Bishkek
Day 2 (Sat): Issyk Kul
Day 3 (Sun): Issyk Kul and transfer to Naryn
Day 4 (Mon): Tash Rabat (it is not long from Naryn as far as I read)
Day 5 (Tue): Tash Rabat-Chatyr Kol
Day 6 (Wed): Tash Rabat
Day 7 (Thu): Transfer to Jalal Abad (here is the most complicated point I guess but I still want to know if it would be posible, if not in 1 in 2 days)
Day 8 (Fri): Arslanbob
Day 9 (Sat): Arslanbob
Day 10 (Sun): Osh
Day 11 (Mon): Transfer to Tashkent.
Day 12 (Tue): Samarcanda. Night train to Khiva
Day 13 (Wed): Khiva
Day 14 (Thu): Khiva, train to Samarcanda
Day 15 (Fri): Bukhara
Day 16 (Sat): Bukhara
Day 17 (Sun): Transfer to Tashkent and back to Almaty

Thanks in advance for the comments!

[steven]

Hi culebro,

since you are an expat living in Almaty, you have the opportunity to visit Central Asia more (unless you are leaving Almaty soon?). My philosophy is one of slow travel, and I would just visit one country with 2 weeks on my hands, especially knowing I can easily get back to these places. I always tend to get more out of my travels when I focus on a small geographic region and there is less transport involved. And these are 2 interesting countries worthy of your undivided attention for a fortnight each, imo. Anyway, that's just my 2 cents, and I definitely do also understand your point of view.

On to your itinerary.

2. What do you mean by Issyk Kul? Can you be a bit more precise on which spot you want to go and what you plan to do there?
5. Be aware Chatyr Kol is at 3500m+ and chances are it will be snowy up there, so be prepared.
7. There is no public transport going there and since you are short on time you cannot rely on hitching a ride, so this means you have to book a ride in advance or agree with taxi drivers. Don't know what either the agency or taxi drivers would charge (I should know this, though, please let me know how you went as many people struggle here) but it will cost a bit more than the usual ride since it is not a common route.

[culebro]

Hi Steven! Thanks for your answer. I totally share your point, the problem is that that you mention, lack of time... otherwise I wouldn't mind to spend 2 weeks in each country but unluckily I leave at the end of the year and it's my only chance.

2. By Issyk Kul I mean to go to Cholpon Ata for the Nomad Games.
7. I'm aware of the bad state of the road but as far as it is posible I'd prefer to take this route (if necessary do it in 2 days stopping in Karaman) instead of coming back to Bishkek or skipping Tash Rabat, as I'm pretty interested in the place. I guess i'll be charged "generously" even when I'm pretty improved in dealing skills with taxi drivers. You know of anyone with who I could arrange the ride in advance?

Thanks!

[steven]

7. I'm aware of the bad state of the road but as far as it is posible I'd prefer to take this route (if necessary do it in 2 days stopping in Karaman) instead of coming back to Bishkek or skipping Tash Rabat, as I'm pretty interested in the place. I guess i'll be charged "generously" even when I'm pretty improved in dealing skills with taxi drivers. You know of anyone with who I could arrange the ride in advance?

Try Kubat tour in Naryn. You can do it in 1 long day, I think that would be best seeing your 'grafik'.

I am in Almaty for the next 3 weeks, always up for beers in the evening. If you fancy talking it over, send me a pm or a mail.